When pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline noticed Les Burns, an obstetrician-gynecologist from Wayne, was ordering a lot of its products, company officials contacted him. “They asked, ‘Did I want to talk about it?’ ” recalled Burns, who said he has always counseled his patients about getting vaccinated against cervical cancer and hepatitis.
Burns agreed — and the drug company paid him $136,150 for talking up its products at medical conferences and conventions from January 2009 to June 2010, according to a database created by the independent investigative journalism organization ProPublica.
Burns is one of seven doctors practicing in New Jersey who earned more than $100,000 from drug companies during that time. Overall, seven pharmaceutical companies wrote 1,215 checks totaling $8.3 million to doctors in New Jersey, the 10th highest total in the nation, according to ProPublica. Full story in Star Ledger.
I can’t imagine a Dr prescribing the wrong meds for a couple of bucks, he was already using it and he actually worked for the money (speaking at the conferences) and btw 1215 check is an average of about $6300 a check, no Dr is going to risk their license over $6000. If they are they shouldn’t be seeing patients.
You can’t have Dr’s graduating med school with almost a million dollars in debt and get reimbursed $36 from a medicaid visit, not look for other outlets to bring in money.
I’m not a Dr.
I agree totally with #1. Isn’t it ridiculous that lobbyists shell out millions in free vacations and meals etc. To lawmakers to have laws that effect everyones lives passed, but drs can’t take a free pen for drugs they’re already prescribing?! Besides for the fact that they’re already regulated by the insurances on how much they can make! And then everyone still wants good healthcare…! These are the reasons why there will be no decent doctors left in 20 years.
so what is new about this